


Have yourself a merry Reituha Christmas!

by deme_lu



Category: the GazettE (Band)
Genre: Best Friends to Lovers, Christmas Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-27
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:34:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21903796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deme_lu/pseuds/deme_lu
Summary: An unexpected winter World tour brings The Gazette far from home for the Christmas holidays, and Uruha found himself  homesick and lonely in his hotel room in Germany, while Reita is nursing a headache and the snow keeps on falling...
Relationships: Aoi (the Gazette)/Kazuki (SCREW), Kai/Ruki (the GazettE), Reita/Uruha (the GazettE)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 17





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey hi~!!!
> 
> I was very much in need of some fluffy Reituha for the holidays, so I decided to indulge myself a bit^^... What's better for Christmas than lots of love for our Shonan duo, he? So, here it is, at first it was a oneshot, but it quickly became out of control, much like everything I write *shrugs* . Hope you'll like it, part two and three in the next days, I promise. And also yes, I hope I'll be able to post the ultimate chapter of ONS before the end of the year... ;)

The snow was falling endlessly, turning the desert street into a fantasy dreamscape. It was only nine in the evening, but nobody seeemed foolish enough to brave the weather, letting the white coat conquer slowly and quietly every bit of the world outside. The snowflakes looked like huge floating feathers caught in a whirlwind.

Uruha was looking at them from his hotel's bedroom's window. He felt cold and lonely. And homesick, too. Mainly homesick, now that he thought about it. Nobody had realized back then when management announced an impromptu world tour for the winter season, that they wouldn't be able to spend the holidays at home. They had all rejoiced and went out to celebrate, everyone of them but Ruki ending the night drunk out of their minds.

All along the world tours they'd achieved until then, they had all had to deal with homesickness, some of them more prone to fight it than others. Ruki, who had suffered the most at the beginning of their trips around the world, was now the one who was the least bothered when they had to go abroad. Homesickness has been long forgotten as soon as Kai has confessed his feelings for him (feelings that were more than reciprocated) and they'd decided to give their relationship a chance.

Since then, these two found comfort in each other however hard or uncomfortable the situation could be, and Uruha seriously believed that together they could endure the end of the world without any difficulties. The two most insecure and self conscious people he'd ever known had turned into a strong and tough couple that nothing could quite defeat. The only thing that bothered Ruki when he had to fly away from Japan was that he had to let Koron behind, but he knew the little dog was in good hands since Kai's mother was more than happy to pamper the one who'd sort of became the baby of the family.

The one who took homesickness as something pathologic nowadays was Aoi. Not only had it always been hard for him to leave his country and family, making him wallow in depressed thoughts, losing his appetite and his sleep, and turning him into a miserable and grumpy ojisan, but today, leaving Japan also meant leaving Kazuki. And, even if he would never had aknowledged it, Aoi felt lost and useless without his better half.

Everybody could see how much he missed him, spending most of his time re-reading the long mails the youngest sent him all the time, watching the hundred millions pictures of Kazuki he had stored on his phone, and if these weren't obvious enough, the smile that bloomed on Aoi's gorgeous features when his boyfriend called him was the best clue you could find. Luckily, Kazuki was a clingy little thing, and to say that he was crazy about Aoi was a sweet euphemism, so Aoi was often surprised by unexpected phone calls, little gifts Kazuki had slid in his suitcase without him noticing, things he'd given to the other members with instructions to deliver them at precise moments, and even food or flowers he would order for Aoi after having asked his bandmates the exact location and name of their hotel for the night. Kazuki was a sweetheart, and Aoi wasn't head over heels for nothing.

In order to alleviate Aoi's torment of being so far away from the boy he loved, his bandmates had learnt to decipher when he didn't want to be left alone. Most of the time, Aoi liked his intimacy, and prefered to be on his own. But during world tours, they knew how he could get, how touch starved he could be, how sensitive he was, and how a simple hug could make his day better. So, sometimes, Reita would just show up in Aoi's room at night, offering to watch a movie together. Sometimes, Uruha would drag Aoi to the hotel's bar and spend the night here with his bandmate, making him talk about music, or about Kazuki. And sometimes, when times were really hard for Aoi, even Ruki would come to his rescue, sliding in Aoi's bed for the night with Kai's benediction, to hug his friend and listen to him mourn about the one he missed so much.

Tonight, though, Aoi hadn't wanted Uruha's company. Or any other's, for that matter. Tonight, he'd gone to his room gleefully straight after the early diner they'd took at the hotel's canteen, explaining his confused bandmates that Kazuki had bought a new HD webcam and had taken his day off for the day after, so that he could spend time with Aoi despite the time difference. Aoi has wriggled his eyebrows suggestively, telling that he knew that Kazuki had also gone lingerie shopping, and that he was looking forward to see how HD the new cam was. Kai and Reita had laughed good heartedly while Ruki and Uruha had shooed him to go and begged him to not give them too much informations.

Uruha smiled fondly at the memory, and then sighed.

He loved being on tour, he really did. This feeling, when you went on stage and received the incredible amount of love from fans, was already so powerful and exciting while in Japan, but to know that here, so far from home, people loved them so much, most of them barely able to understand the meaning of their lyrics, that was... Beyond all he had ever expected. He was sincerely thankful for the amazingly warm welcome they'd met on each town they'd performed so far. It was unreal, and each time it left him breathless, moved, deeply grateful.

Tonight though, despite how lucky he knew he was, to be part of a thing so powerful, tonight he felt … off. He had always had some homesick moments too, but they usually were short lived. First, because he knew who could erase these gloomy moments in the blink of an eye, and then, because this person happened to be by his side whenever he needed it. And it helped a lot that the guy didn't seem to know what homesickness was. And that he owned Uruha's heart since forever without knowing it.

Last night they'd played in Paris, and to say it was a blast would be an understatement. The audience was fierce, crazy, raging.They'd taken all the love they'd received and given it back to their fans tenfold, bursting with energy. Then they'd gathered in the dressing room, taking turn for the only shower cubicle. They always let Kai shower first, because he was the one the stage took the most its toll on.

Uruha had followed after, since Reita and Aoi were enjoying a beer, slumped on the room's couch, while Ruki was tweeting furiously and updating his instagram. Once he'd been done, he'd put on some comfy clothes, an oversized tour hoodie and sweat pants, and had helped Kai to reach the tour bus they would pass the following night on. The drummer hadn't wasted any time to go lay on his bunk, his poor legs not supporting him anymore. After he made sure Kai was comfy and didn't need anything, Uruha had headed to the little sitting area at the back of the bus, and had bundled himself in a blanket while waiting for the others to join them. Aoi had been the first to arrive, his phone in hand, busy texting Kazuki obviously. He'd thrown his bag under his bunk, then had slid himself in the narrow cubicle, shutting the curtain around him, after he'd wished Uruha a good night with a tired smile and a knowing wink.

Uruha had answered with a roll of his eyes. Well, yeah, everybody knew that he wasn't going to go to bed before Reita had arrived. They all had their little post-live routines, and Uruha's was to spend time with the bassist, exchanging their point of view on their performance and simply enjoying to have some time just the two of them. More often than not, they would either choose to play a game together on their PSP, or Reita would take a book while Uruha would just daydream, sharing an earphone and listening to the same music. Their friendship was the thing that allowed them to stay strong and positive, and they needed this little time alone, while everybody around was quiet and noone would disturb them in their own little world.

Last night hadn't been different. Reita had stepped on the bus not long after Aoi, a beanie on his still wet hair and a thick scarf around his neck. He'd sat next to Uruha, who was checking the news from Japan on his phone, and had wrapped himself in a blanket much like his childhood friend, before snuggling next to him in a chilly way, closing his eyes and sighing deeply. Uruha didn't mind the snuggling at all, it even made his heart do little jumps of happiness, but it wasn't like Reita to let any weakness show, so he had looked at him, frowning in concern.

« You okay Rei ? »

« Mmmh. This stupid headache appeared out of nowhere. Feels like my brain wants to find a way out of my skull. »

«I doubt this. There isn't any brain in that thick skull of yours, Aki. »

A weak slap on his shoulder. 

« Hey ! Don't be mean ! I have no energy whatsoever to fight you ! »

Uruha let out a chuckle, before asking. « Did you take some medicine ? »

Reita nodded. « Ruki gave me some. »

Uruha moved in order to sneack an arm around his friend's shoulders, and Reita snuggled closer. There was no harm in taking advantage of the moment if it was to comfort his sick friend, right ? And Reita smelled so good and felt so right against him, so Uruha was going to enjoy this moment for as long as it would last.

They were interrupted by Ruki's arrival, barely able to step on the bus what with the two huge bags he was carrying. Ruki didn't know the meaning of the word « moderation » as long as clothes were concerned, and he always carried around enough outfits to last him a week, even when he only was out for the night. He huffed, finally putting his luggage carefully near his bunk, his hands on his hips.

« Thanks for your help, guys, really ! »

« You're welcome, Ru. »

Flipping the two of them off with a grin, Ruki turned around to go to check on his boyfriend. He disapeared behind the curtain of the bunk, to reappear a few minutes later. As always, Kai and Ruki didn't shared beds in tour bus. Kai needed the few space he could have to rest his poor abused limbs after the live, so they'd agreed that Ruki wouldn't sleep with his boyfriend then. But Ruki hated sleeping alone with a passion, and so did Aoi. The solution to their problem had been quickly found, and Ruki joined the guitarist after a last kiss on his exhausted boyfriend's lips.

« Come here, Ru-chan ! I'm gonna show you what a real man is ! » Aoi's enthusiastic voice made them all giggle.

« Mmmmhhh, Aoi ? »

« Yeah, Leader-sama ? »

« I would keep my hands in my pockets, if I were you. I mean, if you want to keep this male parts Kazuki is so fond of. Just saying. » Kai's words had been said with a nonchalant voice.

Uruha and Akira's burst of laughter echoed at the back of the bus, as Ruki curled up giggling against his friend's side, while Aoi just replied with an apologetic « As you wish, master ! »

They'd all fell silent after this, the few staff members who travelled in the same tour bus had joined their bunks thankfully, and the bus driver had shut the lights off, letting the two childhood friends in the dark. Uruha had chosen in his phone's playlist something he and Reita could share, before putting their earphones on, and they settled the more comfortably they could, Uruha melting at the feeling of his best friend's breath in the crook of his neck. Reita could have a boyfriend waiting for him at home, but Uruha was the one the bassist would always spend the most of his time with, and the guitarist felt happy for it.

***

Akira and Kouyou had been best friends since a whole year when they spent their first christmas holidays together. They'd met at the beginning of the school year in march, and had quickly become inseparable. Akira went nowhere without Kouyou, just like the other way round, and it wasn't different at the end of that afternoon, the day just before Christmas'Eve. The two of them were coming back from their soccer practice, and when they arrived at Akira's door, the boys were laughing their hearts out. As always, they were going to share a hot chocolate and some cookies Akira's grandmother had baked for them before heading for Akira's room and take turns to play on Kouyou's Game boy. Akira's family was far from being as wealthy as Kouyou's, but Kouyou didn't mind to share anything with Akira.

When they stepped into the warmth of the house, though, a surprise was waiting for them. A huge Christmas tree was waiting in the hallway, with several boxes of christmas decorations. And Akira's mother was there too, a huge smile on her tired face. It was a rare occurrence, since she was working most of the time and was usually barelly there before diner.

Akira's father had left when he was four and his sister Kyoko six, to never show up again. Akira didn't mind much, he barely remembered him anyway. His mother, who couldn't afford to pay a rent alone, had came back to live with her children at her parent's who'd welcomed them with open arms.

They'd been living there since, and Akira's mother had found a job at an izakaya nearby. But three years before, Akira's grand father, who ran a flower shop with his wife, had passed away after a heart attack, and as Akira's grandmother wasn't able to handle the store on her own, Akira's mother had quit her waitress job to come help her. It was inconcievable for them to let the shop wither away, and for now they were managing pretty well. But even if Akira's mother salary as a waitress wasn't that much, they still missed it more often than not. So she often did extra hours at the restaurant she worked before in order to pay the bills.

For now, yet, Akira's mother and grandmother were there, waiting for them eagerly.

Akira had been secretly delighted and excited. Preparing the Christmas tree was something he was always looking forward. All the family would gather in the tiny living room and they would hang garlands and christmas balls and make their tree beautiful, listening to Christmas songs and singing off-tune. And tonight Akira knew there would probably be some delicious things to eat too, to celebrate the beginning of the holidays. The boy couldn't be more happy. Except...

He was a bit worried about what his friend would think about this, though, (he didn't want him to think that he was a baby), he played it cool and acted a bit nonchalant about the whole thing, his mother and grandmother smiling knowingly at each other. Akira grinned shily at his friend.

« Well, hum, Kouyou... I usually help mom and grandma to decorate the tree and everything, but... I know that you probably already have the most beautiful tree in that castle of yours, and maybe you'd rather like to do something else, I don't know... »

Kouyou was looking at the tree with wide envious eyes. It was true that in Takashima's mansion, the huge tree that was chosen to be the centerpiece of the reception hall was always set while he was at school, and his parents always hired professionals to decorate it with the utmost taste, each year with a new theme, making it probably the most beautiful and expensive Christmas tree of the area.

But Kouyou never had the opportunity to hang a single ball in it.

He wasn't a professional, after all.

Now, seeing that Akira had a whole tree of his own to decorate, hell, he couldn't help but be a bit jealous that he couldn't have the same thing. And he was a bit ashamed of it, because he knew that Akira never ever showed jealousy towards all the things Kouyou had and Akira didn't.

He'd turned to his friend, smiling apologectically and shaking his head.

«That's nice, Aki, but, I mean, I don't want to intrude. Since it's a family thing, I probably should let you all enjoy yourselves and come back home. » Kouyou's eyes were still lingering on the tree though, and you would have to be blind to miss the regret painted accross the boy's features.

«But... Would you like to stay with us to decorate ? »Akira's grin grew wider.

Kouyou was hesitating between being the polite boy his parents praised him to be, and accepting Akira's tempting invitation. Mrs Suzuki chose to give him the final push to stay.

« What a good idea, dear. As there's no school tomorrow, you could stay over for the night if you want, Kouyou. We prepared a lot of yummy things to eat for tonight, and we would be glad to have you ! Do you want me to call your parents ? »

Kouyou's smile said it all.

« Oh yes, please ! That would be awesome, thank you Mrs Suzuki ! But... » He suddenly looked concerned. « I don't know if I'm going to be of any help, since I've never decorated a Christmas tree ! »

Akira's mother laughed good heartedly at his words, and was quick to reassure him.

« Don't worry about it, Kouyou, we're all well trained for this, we will teach you ! »

Kouyou had no idea at the moment, but the souvenir of this evening spent at Akira's house, decorating his first christmas tree, would forever be one of his most precious ones.

He still remembered the laughters, the warmth in the small room, the chocolates they'd shared and Akira and his sister singing along the songs that played on the radio. And the incredible time they'd had, covering the tree until its branches were almost invisible under the glittery ornaments. Kouyou had developped a soft spot for Christmas from then on.

And it only was the first time, because ever since then, each year, Kouyou was invited at Akira's home to spend the evening and decorate the Christmas tree. And as the special guest of the family, they always let him put the silvery star at the top of the tree when they were done decorating it. If Kouyou appreciated Akira's family before that night, he now loved them as a second family.

On this first Christmas Eve as Akira's best friend, the day after he decorated his very first tree, Kouyou had begged his mother to take him to do some last minute shopping in the afternoon. When he'd rung at Suzuki's family door a few hours later, waiting there, his mother by his side, with his arms full presents, Akira's mother was surprised to find them there. She called Akira, who was surprised and delighted since he wasn't expecting to see him at all, but was quickly disappointed as Kouyou explained that he just dropped by to give them their gifts.

He just handed his best friend the bags before wishing them all a merry Christmas and thanking them profusely for the great evening he'd spent with them. Then his mother explained they had to head back home to get ready for the yearly reception that was waiting for them, much to Kouyou's displeasure. He knew it was important for his father's business, and he understood that his family wanted him there, but honestly, each year since he was old enough to attend these, he was only waiting for the first excuse to escape to his room, spending the rest of the evening watching sappy movies alone and eating chocolates, waiting for the day after, when his family would finally be able to gather in their much comfortable and cozy living room to open their gifts.

Akira had sighed then, shrugging in a half hearted way.

« Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow, maybe ? »

« Yeah, I'll try. I wish I could stay longer. »

Kouyou's mother had looked at the sorry expression on his son's face. She knew he wasn't fond of the family's receptionss, and that he would be happier to be with Akira. Hell, if she could, she too would probably want to escape these boring mundanities.

Just like if she'd been able to read her mind, Mrs Suzuki had looked at Kouyou's mother with a gentle smile.

«Akira wanted so much to spend Christmas with Kouyou... That's the first time he has such a friend, and he misses him a lot. I mean... Would it be possible for Kouyou to come and spend the last part of the evening with us ? Kouyou said you were upset to not being able to take more care of your children on Christmas'eve because you were too busy with all the people you had to meet then. If that's okay with you, I could come to pick him up and the kids could have a sleepover. And I would bring your son back home tomorrow in the morning ? »

Mrs Takashima sighed fondly. Kouyou was always talking warmly about Akira's family, and she could see why now.

« That would be very nice of you to have him. I would rather know he's here with you all having good time, than knowing that he's all alone, bored sulking in his bedroom on a Christmas' eve. » The smile that bloomed on her son's face was enough to comfort her in her choice.

And each year from then on, on Christmas eve, he would dress up like his parents would expect him, with a suit and a tie and all, to represent his family at the special event organized at the mansion, where his father would receive all the important people of the city. He would go there and bow and say whatever his parents would ask him too, he would make his family proud, and as soon as his mother would allow him, he would sneack out of the diner, run to his bedroom and grab his bag, and his father's chauffeur would drive him to Akira's house where he would spend the end of the evening with his friends family.

His parents were of course a bit disappointed that he wouldn't want to stay with them, but they also knew how boring and formal their receptions were, and even if they couldn't really escape them, since they had a situation to uphold, they understood that Kouyou, as a kid, would rather have a nice and quiet with his friends family, in a familial atmosphere.

Kouyou smiled at the memories, still looking through his window. Akira's grandma would be delighted to see all this snow, she liked it when it snowed around Christmas time, she said it gave so much « hollywood vibes » to the holidays. And Kouyou agreed with her, of course. But tonight, as he was alone in his bedroom, contemplating the snow falling, he was beginning to think that snow was only fun if you could enjoy it with people you liked.

Kouyou shivered. He was really cold now, and he really felt like having a hot chocolate. He'd seen vending machines at the reception desk, so he took his phone, and took the elevator to the first floor.

He wasn't surprise to find it empty, the hotels clients having long gone to their warm rooms. The only other person there was Tanaka-san, one of their tech, who happened to speak a bit german, and was currently chatting with the girl who worked at the reception desk.

Kouyou smiled at himself. Trust Tanaka-san to always find an opportunity to meet new pretty girls in each town they went. He waved from afar, winking at him, the tech answering him with a nod and a wink of his own. When he turned toward the corner of the room where the vending machines were, he stopped in his tracks.

A huge Christmas tree was standing there, with baskets full of ornaments of all sorts at its foot.

An intense feeling of nostalgia filled him, and he felt loneliest than he'd ever felt that night. Oh, how he wish he could be in the Suzuki's house right now, helping to decorate the tree with his friend's family. It was not always the case, but right there and then, he was just craving the presence of loving people around. His shoulders slumped a bit at the sight, and he just stood there, looking defeatedly at the tree.

« Hey, Uruha-san, you okay ? »

Tanaka-san had appeared at his side, concerned by the lonely aura the guitarist projected. Uruha forced a smile.

« Yeah. Just a bit tired. »

« Oh. You kinda worried me, looking at these ornament with that gloomy face. This tree is already depressing the poor girl at the desk, I was beginning to think that he had some sort of evil magic power ! »

« What do you mean, she's depressed about the tree ? »

« Well, she already worked on the three previous nights, and she had to come tonight too because one of her co-worker was sick. But she's exhausted, and she thought she could have a bit of rest once all the clients would have headed to their rooms for the night. But her boss dropped by and brought this Christmas tree and asked for it to be decorated for tomorrow morning. So now her hopes for a bit of sleep are falling to pieces ! She asked me if I knew some Christmas elf who could help her, haha ! »

Uruha smiled a bit, staring at the boxes thoughtfully. Then his face lightened. At this rate, he would wallow in depressive thoughts in his room, and he wouldn't be able to catch some decent sleep if he didn't do something to ease a bit his lonely mind. He turned to his tech, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

« Tell the pretty girl you just found a Christmas elf ! She can go to have some deserved rest, I'm taking care of this. » And he added with a wink. « I'm a specialist ! »

Tanaka-san laughed. Nothing in this band could surprise him anymore.

« That's nice of you, Uruha-san, but don't you think you should have some rest too ? You have a live tomorrow night, remember ? »

Uruha dismissed him with a wave of his hand.

« Yeah, yeah, whatever. I need something to busy my mind with for a while. And it's not like it's gonna take me all night long to do this. I promise I will go to sleep after. »


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, here's chapter 2!

Reita woke up with a grumbling stomach and a lingering headache. He'd come straight to bed after diner, and as he wasn't hungry when they'd went to the canteen, he had barely eaten. He should have known better. If he wanted to sleep until morning like he'd planned to, he should have given his body enough food to satiate it. Now he didn't feel like going out of his room at all, but he figured that food wasn't going to materialize on his bedside table just because he wished it could.

He frowned, and decided that he should go to the vending machines at the reception desk to grab some heavy sugared snacks. That wouldn't go very well with the drastic diet he imposed himself, but he shrugged mentally, thinking that he would probably sweat the calories overdose on stage tomorrow.

As he also felt a bit down, indulging himself a bit couldn't be too bad, either.

He put on some sweatpants and a hoodie, and made his way to the first elevator. He resisted to knock at Uruha's door to see if his best friend would like to join him. Uruha was probably fast asleep, and he deserved his beauty sleep.

Besides, Reita was still annoyed by the fight he had some hours before with Chris, his boyfriend- well, more ex-boyfriend, now- on the phone, and by what the man had implied then. Actually, this had been bothering him from the moment he'd ended the call. First, he'd just been dumped. That in itself was enough to get a bit unsettled, right ? But what was going to give him a breakdown if he didn't stop thinking about it wasn't even this, and that probably said a lot about how confused and lost he was, right ?He sighed deeply, shaking his head and trying to not to think too much about this now, he had to perform live soon and as always he wanted to give his best, and he didn't need this kind of-

Wait a minute.

Reita stopped at the entrance of the reception room.

He was still asleep, and dreaming, right ? Because how on earth would Uruha be here in the hallway, decorating a huge christmas tree all alone ? The lights were dimmed in the large room, and his best friend was currently taking little ornaments from a box, putting them all on a table and examinating them closely. Some Christmas songs were playing from... His phone ? And he was humming a bit off-tune too... (Uruha couldn't sing to save his life).

The tree was already decorated with fairy lights and some red and golden garlands, and that's how Reita realized he wasn't slepping. Because that's how his own mother had taught them to do : fairy lights, then garlands, then, and then only, the other ornaments. He turned his attention to his bandmate again, and his breath was cut short. Uruha was holding a little figurine of a reindeer in his hands, and he was smiling softly at it, sparkles in his eyes.

« Look at you, you're so cute ! You're going to be the first on the tree, I will find you a special place. »

Reita couldn't help but smile at his words too, shaking himself out of the transe he'd been in while trying to catch his breath back. The reindeer ornament surely wasn't the cutest thing in the room.He chuckled quietly, making his friend jump lightly.

« I can't believe you ! Are you really decorating a Christmas that's not even yours, Kou ? »

Uruha blushed slightly at the bassist's remark, shrugging his shoulder nonchalantly.

« Well... It seems that I am, yes. Why can't you believe it ? »

« I can't believe you actually didn't wake me up to do it with you ! »

Uruha laughed. Reita looked at him and his chest felt a bit too small to contain his heart suddenly.

« You looked so tired when we arrived, I figured that you deserved to have as much rest as you could have. And it 's not like I planned to find a tree ready for me to decorate here ! » Then he stopped and looked at his feet, avoiding his eyes but smiling softly nonetheless. « But now that you're here, that would be cool if we did it together, as always, don't you think ? »

Reita nodded enthusiastically. He hadn't realized until then, seeing Uruha there, how much he missed home. And he was beginning to think that there were a lot of other, important things he hadn't realized...

« Let me get some snacks and two hot chocolates and we're going to make this tree the most beautiful of the town. Germany isn't ready for this, you know ? They have no idea that they have the most professionnal tree decorators, coming straight from Japan ! »

Uruha laughed again, and Reita decided then that he was going to be extra dorky tonight, because he needed to hear Uruha laugh again and again. He already felt better, his headache had disappeared magically, and as for Chris... Well, he would think about it later. He didn't need stress or negative thoughts, he only needed to be here with his best friend.

About an hour later, they were putting the last ornament in the tree, proud of themselves. They'd eaten enough chocolate bars to give diabetis to someone who would just look at the empty packagings, and their hot drinks were long gone. Uruha had been smiling and laughing non-stop from the moment Reita had came to help him.

« Ne, Aki? » Reita turned his look to his best friend.

« Mmmh ? »

« I'm glad you seem to feel better now. I was afraid you'd caught a cold or something. But if I can judge by the amount of stupid jokes you'd thrown in the last hour, you look perfectly healthy ! »

A goofy smile on his lips, Reita shook his head.

« Nah. It's just that my stupid brain cells recognize yours instantly, and they know only you can understand them ! »

Uruha laughed again, shaking his head at his friend's words. He then looked at their handywork , and the tree was really beautiful. Except...

« Ah, Aki, wait a minute ! We forgot the star at the top ! » He looked around to find something he could climb on to reach the top of the tree, but found nothing. In the canteen, the benches were attached to the tables, and in the hallway there only were two huge couches. Uruha huffed, annoyed. He wasn't exactly a patient one, and he didn't like it when something got in his way. His face finally lit up when he saw a frail looking stool that held a small pot with a little orchid. But Reita stopped him before he could even move towards it, putting his hand flat on Uruha's torso and shaking his head no with a dry laugh.

« There's no way you're going to climb on this thing, baka. I don't want to have to call for an ambula nce now, and it's not just because I don't speak german. »

« But Akiiiiii ! We need to put this star at its place ! »

« You're right, then I'm going to carry you so that you'll put it yourself. »

Uruha raised en eyebrow at Reita, his arms crossed on his chest.

« You what ? »

Reita looked at him, a bit offended.

« I'm gonna carry you. What ? You don't think I can manage to lift a lightweight like you ? I can assure you I've carried much heavier, and it's not hard to find ! » He got closer of the tree, gesturing to his friend to come closer. « Come on, we haven't all night, you know ! »

Uruha shrugged and complied, catching the glittery star with a tiny smile on his full lips. He doubted that Reita could do what he just said, and was going to tease him mercilessly once he would have failed. Much to his surprise, though, Reita bent to catch him around his thighs and lifted him like he weighted nothing.

Uruha only had to reach for the top of the tree and place the star, securing it there.

Then self consciousness caught him off guard, and he suddenly became very aware of the position they both were in, Reita's strong grip around his hips, his face pressed on Uruha's stomach, the embrace intimate in a way Uruha wished it could be for other reasons than decorating a christmas tree.

Losing a bit his balance at the realization, he caught his best friend's strong shoulders to steady himself, and Reita lifted his face to look at him a bit confused at his friend's sudden wriggling.

Their gaze met and locked, and the situation seemed to dawn on the bassist too.

They couldn't tear their eyes off each other, a faint blush forming on their cheeks, Reita absently noticing how beautiful Uruha looked from bellow, his eyes shining and reflecting the fairy lights, too many emotions showing on his face, and Uruha breathless all of a sudden, his heart beating like crazy at the look of sheer adoration he was receiving from his bandmate.

Reita's arms suddenly loosened, but just a little, just enough for them to let his friend's body slide until his feet were back on the ground, and they were now circling his waist tightly. And as his braincells didn't seem to be able to function anymore, not when Uruha's beautiful face was so close to his, his instincts and all these things he had tried to deny and hide for so long took over, and he got slightly on his toes, capturing Uruha's lips with his softly. Uruha gasped a bit in surprise, but didn't took long to answer the kiss, surrendering to the assault of Reita's mouth. He'd been dreaming about this kiss for so long, and he wasn't even going to question it now... Unluckily, Reita's brain chose this moment to come back to life, and he froze.

Was he really kissing his best friend ?

Uruha opened the eyes he hadn't noticed he'd closed at the touch of Reita's lips against his, confused by the sudden tension in his friend's shoulder. He pulled back, looking at Reita worriedly.

« Aki ? » A mere whisper left his lips, still feeling Reita's eager mouth on them.

Reita misunderstood his friend's frown, taking a hand to touch his own lips, puzzled, taking a step back from their embrace, stuttering and mumbling.

« Kou... God... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have... Forgive me... It's late. I have to go. »

And without any more words he rushed out, disappearing into the hallway that lead to the rooms, leaving behind a shocked and distressed Uruha, whose eyes began to sting immediatly.

Reita was pacing back and forth in his room, his hands gripping his hair tightly, cursing again and again under his breath as the scene of the kiss played in his mind in loop. What has gotten into him, seriously ? What was he thinking ? Just because he'd realized that Chris had been right after their fight the day before didn't mean he had to force his feelings down Uruha's throat (nor his tongue, for that matter). Sure, his friend hadn't complained or rejected him, but it was probably because he'd been caught by surprise. Now he was obviously going to be mad at him and maybe even hate him for that kiss.

He stopped at the bed's foot and let himself fall backwards on the mattress, his hands now covering his face and muffling the desperate groan of frustration he let out.

« What a fucking stupid asshole ! Fuck this fucking moron brain of mine !!! »

He slowly brought himself in a sitting position, shaking his head, trying to find a way to sort things out without too much damages for their friendship. Then he got up and walked to the window, hoping that the night landscape would bring him a bit of peace and some ideas to fix things with Uruha. What he saw there, nevertheless, didn't quite soothe his spirit.

Uruha was walking in the desert snowy streets, leaving dark prints in the immaculate carpet behind him. He looked lost, and his shoulders were slightly shaking. But what finally made Reita go out of the transe he was in, watching his distressed best friend, was the fact that Uruha was out there with just the hoodie he'd wore whilst decorating the Christmas tree. Reita frowned at the realisation. The guitarist was known to be extremely chilly, not as much as Ruki, but not far behind. And even if he weren't so sensitive to cold, the risk that he would be sick from going out in such an outfit in that weather was high. Reita didn't think much of what he was going to say, instead he decided he had to prevent his friend to end in an hospital with a raging pneumonia.

Uruha was freezing, but he didn't care. Not when his heart just had been broken in the blink of an eye. Not when the illusions he could have had about his best friend's feelings for him had just been destroyed after mere seconds of pure bliss. Not when he'd just been rejected after all his hopes had rised so high when Reita's lips had finally met his. He was freezing, but as far as he was concerned, that wasn't so bad. At least he could feel something, when his body was moving in auto-pilot, leading him who knew where, but about that he didn't care, either. Nothing was important now, when he remembered the look of utter shock on Reita's face, the way he'd ran away without a single glance, obviously disgusted that he'd stooped to kiss Uruha. Of course he was.

A low voice interrupted Uruha's gloomy train of thoughts.

« Kou... You shouldn't stay here in the cold. »

Uruha stopped walking. He shrugged half heartedly, but didn't turn.

« Who cares ? » He mumbled.

« Kouyou. » Akira sighed frustratedly. « Listen, I- »

« Don't you dare ! Don't you dare saying it ! »

Akira stopped talking, taken by surprise by Uruha's sudden outburst. His eyes widened when Uruha finally turned to face him, his beautiful face devastated with tears and a desperate frown of his mouth. « I understand, okay ? I understand that it had been a mistake from you, that kiss. And I know I shouldn't be so upset, I know it's fucking ridiculous of me to have hoped that maybe you've had finally seen me the way I've always dreamed of. »

« I- What ? What are you talk- »

But Kouyou wasn't listening, he was seemingly deaf to Reita's words, and he was still talking, stuttering, and his teeth were beginning to chatter.

« I don't want to hear any excuses f-from you. I don't want to hear you're sorry. I know-I shouldn't have developped these-f-feelings, I know I should have t-tried harder to get over them. I was doing pretty well, you know ? I was content to just stay there, watching you, always by your side, trying to act like the best friend I was su-supposed to be, like if I wasn't dying to be something else, something more. But-but you had no right to do this to me. You had no right to make me b-believe that I could have th-this, just to crush my hopes a f-few seconds later. Why d-did you d-do this, Aki ? » He finished his speech in a mere whisper, and if the streets hadn't been so incredibly silent, Reita probably wouldn't have heard him.

« WHY DID YOU DO THIS, AKI ? » Now Uruha was shouting, and it made Reita wince.

« Ok, right, we're not doing this here, Kouyou. »

He grabbed his bandmate by the arm, and began to drag him aside as he was hurrying towards the hotel's entrance, Uruha not really fighting it.

Once they were in the building, warmth surrounding them, Akira didn't let go of his friend's arm and went straight to the elevator, always dragging Uruha behind him. He then headed straight to Uruha's room, made his friend open the door, and made a bee-line to the bathroom, where he began to draw him a hot bath.

«You're freezing. So now you will warm yourself up, and we will talk about... What happened... Later. Now you really need to take care of yourself, and no isn't an option. » With these words, the bassist closed the door behind him, leaving his best friend alone. He went to the closet, taking an extra blanket to put on the bed, hoping that this, plus the bath, would suffice to help Kouyou to not fall sick. He also put the heater up. He sighed again, and passed his hands on his face, feeling more tired and tense than ever. But he also felt... excited ? Nervous ? Because Uruha's words were a bit unsettling, and maybe Akira understood wrong, but if he hadn't... Damn...

Half an hour later, Uruha stepped out of a steaming bathroom, wrapped in one of the hotel's fluffy bathrobe . He looked surprise to find Akira still there, sitting against the bed frame with his arms folded behind his head. He lowered his head shamefully, wishing his friend would go away and leave him in peace. Akira patted the spot next to him, a shy smile on his lips.

« Listen, Aki... if you don't mind, I think we really should postpone this for later. I'm exhausted and I think I embarrassed myself enough for today. So, if you don't mind, I'd rather be left alone. »

« And I do think that it would be better for us to do this now. I want to explain, and I want you to forgive me. Come on, sit down, Kou. »

He couldn't say no to Akira. He'd never been able to. He sat at the edge of the bed, without making eye contact with his friend. But Akira wasn't going to buy this, oh no. The bassist caught his chin precautiously, softly.

« Hey. It's okay. Everything is allright, Kou. We just need to talk this over, because I don't want you to hate me. »

Uruha shook his head no, a tear rolling on his cheek.

« I'm sorry, Aki. I shouldn't have yelled at you. It's just... It's just that... It's so hard, you know, wanting things from you I know you're not able to give me. And I know you have Chris waiting for you at home, and I try my best to not hate him, to not want to gouge his pretty eyes out because he gets to see you in moments I will never witness, or to stick a sharp things into his ears because he's the one receiving words of love from you I will never get. But he makes you happy, so I- »

Uruha didn't seemed to want to shut up, damned !

« We broke up. Yesterday. »

_That_ seemed to stop Uruha efficiently.

« What ? But... Why ? »

Reita let out an humorless laugh.

« It seems that my boyfriend- well, ex-boyfriend- had seen through my feelings better than I did. »

_« ...So, Aki, to make up for the fact that you're not here to spend Christmas with me this year, for our next Christmas I want you to take me to the sunniest place in the world, a place with a wonderful beach and palm trees, and I want you to book the best room in an hotel with view on the ocean... We will spend most of our time naked rolling in the sheets and almost naked walking in the sand, just you and I, and will celebrate Christmas in the sexiest way. What do you say ? » His boyfriend's voice was playful and teasing, and it warmed Reita's heart. He shook his head, smiling._

_In almost two hours they would perform on stage in Paris, and having Chris on the phone before was always a good boost. He was always supportive and enthusiastic, and these were things Reita definitely liked about him._

_«It sounds pretty promissing, for sure ! I think I can do this, but more for new year's day. Because for next Christmas, I'm afraid that we already have plans. »_

_« Oh ? We have ? »_

_« Well, yeah. I mean, I have to deal with a strong Christmas tradition. We gather at my family's on the day before Christmas'eve, and decorate the tree while listening to sappy Christmas songs, then we celebrate the tree with a great diner and we watch stupid Christmas movies. On Christmas'eve we oversleep, then we go to the village's little Christmas market, we eat street food and hot chocolate with marshmallows, then we come back home, help to prepare more food and then we light up a fire in the chimney, eat and play games and wait for midnight to open our presents. And on Christmas day we just lounge around in the house. That's pretty much the most cliché Chritsmas ever, but we like it that way. »_

_« Oh, but maybe your family would allow you to skip this if it were to spend some time with me, right ? Maybe they wouldn't be too disappointed-»_

_« My family wouldn't probably, but Kouyou would for sure ! »_

_Chris' silence made Reita frown before he heard his boyfriend talk again._

_« What ? What about Kouyou ? What does he have to do here ? »_

_« Oh, Kouyou's the one who's the most attached to the tradition, with my grandma of course. He's the one who loves to decorate the tree the most, and he loves to spend time with my family. Actually, we've always spent Christmas this way, and I know how disappointed he was when he realized we wouldn't be home for the occasion, and- »_

_« So, basically, you're telling me that you would refuse sexy dream holidays with your boyfriend because your precious Kouyou would be disappointed to not decorate the Christmas tree with you ? »_

_Chris' tone was now far from the teasing and happy voice he had before. And Reita didn't like one bit how he'd phrased his words._

_« What ? No, I wouldn't refuse this, of course not. I'm just saying that we could have these holidays after You and I would spend Christmas at my family's all together, that's it- »_

_« All together with Kouyou, right ? »_

_Reita was beginning to lose a bit his patience now. What was the problem, now ?_

_« Well, yeah. I mean, he's like part of my family, you know, and- »_

_« Oh, yes, this I'm well aware of. Each time we've visited your family, I had to endure your mother and grandmother mourning over Uruha's absence. How they missed him, asking when he would come to see them. We couldn't have a single conversation where he wasn't mentioned. Whereas they didn't paid much attention to me... »_

_« Hey, that's not true. They like you a lot ! »_

_A bitter laugh._

_« Yeah, right, just like you. »_

_« What do you mean, of course I like you a lot ! » Reita's exasperation was beginning to show._

_« Oh, you do ? Really ? »_

_Reita huffed, now totally annoyed with how the conversation turned. Chris took the opportunity to speak again before Reita could express how this was beginning to wear on his nerves._

_« If you say so... I sure know I love you, and I would give up anything for you. See ? It's not that difficult. Now, maybe it's time to for you to think about it seriously, don't you think ? You have choices to make, honey. I've been patient, waiting for you time after time, knowing that there were things and people that would always be your priorities over me. But I'm afraid I'm beginning to get tired of this...»_

_Reita's eyes widened._

_« What ? Are you serious ? You're asking me to choose between my career and you ? Between my bandmates and you ? Are you out of your mind ? I've been clear from the beginning, nothing would never- »_

_« Oh, for god's sake, Reita ! I have no problems with Aoi-san, or with Ruki-kun and Kai-kun. And I'm not asking you to sacrifice your career ! »_

_« Hu ? So what are you talking about exactly, because I didn't quite get it ! »_

_« I'm talking about Uruha ! Uruha ! You know, the best friend you're talking about a million times a day ! The one you text over and over again even if you'd seen him like half an hour before ! The one you always think about when it comes to bring some souvenirs from somewhere. The one you're physically sick if you haven't seen him in two days straight. The one that makes you choose to disappoint your boyfriend instead of upsetting him for a stupid Christmas tree. »_

_Chris' voice was dripping with venom, and now Reita was at a loss of what to say. Where did all this come from ? Was Chris jealous of Uruha ?_

_« What ? But... I thought you liked him ? »_

_Chris words were said in a calm, defeated way._

_« Oh, I did. Before I realized that you probably liked him more than you would never like me. Before I realized he was in love with you... and you were in love with him. »_

_«I... I what now ? You're not serious ! Listen... Chris, I don't know what put this idea in your head, but I think we really should talk about this. » His voice was panicked and weak, and he hated himself for it._

_« I'm as serious as one can be, Reita. I think I know his game rather well. He can't stay away from you, always finding excuses to drop by your appartment, even for a few minutes. He's the only one who laughs to all your dumb jokes, he knows all the things you like, food, games, movies, he reads in your mind, finishes your sentences. He never misses an opportunity to get close to you or hug you for the longest time. And the way he looks at you, Reita. It's not a best friend's way to look at someone. Believe me. »_

_« Chris- »_

_« And I think I made myself clear. Are you ready to consider spending less time with your « best friend », to take your distances from him ? If you're not in love with him, like I suspect you to be, it should be easy. And if he doesn't have romantic feelings for you, he should understand, right, that you need time for your boyfriend and your boyfriend only. »_

_« You can't ask me this. »_

_« I am. »_

_Reita took a deep sigh and closed his eyes painfully. That couldn't be happening. Not now. He had to focus, damned, in a few minutes a staff member would come to take him to the make-up room. He had to put on his scene clothes and to relax, and Chris was just putting him under so much stress, telling absurd theories and asking him things he knew he couldn't grant him. It was a nightmare._

_« Well, Reita. » Chris sounded like he was crying, and Reita hadn't think that it could be that painful to hear. « I think we both have our answers, don't we ? »_

_« Chris... »_

_« It's okay. Not really, but I'd rather stop now than keep on going like this, growing feelings for a man who's in love with someone else. It hurts, but it's better this way. Goodbye, Reita. Take care. And open your eyes. »_

_Reita realized he was still holding his phone against his ear, gripping it hard, when the staff member entered the room and called him for his make-up session. He wiped his eyes angrily with his sleeve and followed him, his heart heavy and his mind in turmoil. He had to pull himself together, he couldn't afford to feel so weak and lost when he would step on stage later. He let the make-up artist work his magic with him, closing his eyes and trying to calm himself, breathing deeply, and failing miserably. The woman kept on complaining -always in a gentle way, but he still knew that he was pissing her off- that he was so tense he was going to snap. Then he heard some shuffling behind him, and the small hands of the woman were replaced by two strong and skilled ones, pushing and easing the tension he could feel on his shoulders and neck. Then the owner of the hands let out a low hum._

_« She's right, Aki. You're very tense. You really need to relax or you risk to hurt yourself if you don't. »_

_Reita's heart was doing little weird things in his chest, remembering Chris'words. Was Uruha caring for him that way ?_

_« Yeah, don't know what's happening to me. Keep on doing this, though, it helps... »_

_A low chuckle, and was Reita so oblivious he hadn't noticed how sexy it sounded ?_

_« Yeah, right, you're just doing this on purpose so that we will spoil you, aren't you ? »_

_A small smile, albeit a sincere one, appeared on Reita's lips._

_« Maybe... »_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter tomorrow or the day after... Have you all been good enough this year? Will Santa bring you all the things you dreamed of? Will our beloved Shonan duo deserve a happy ending... Guys, all this suspense...


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the last chapter of our fluffly Christmas tale ;) 
> 
> Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and great time with your loved ones...

Reita didn't really know where to begin or how to explain. Uruha still looked confused and shocked that he'd broken up with Chris. The bassist made a face and decided that it was now or never. He had to tell his best friend what had been on his mind for the past hours.

« Chris wanted me to make a choice. »

« Oh ? What choice ? »

« He wanted me to choose between him and you »

Uruha's eyes widened.

« What ? »

Reita chuckled weakly.

«Yeah... He said things I found stupid at the moment... That I wasn't aware that I was in love with you and that... you loved me too... Which sounds crazy, right ? But now that I spent time thinking about it – and this gave me the hugest headache ever- and when I think about what happened under the tree, and about what you said earlier, out there in the cold... I can help but thinking that maybe he was right ? »

Uruha was staring at him, looking a bit confused and anxious, and also totally stunning. His face bare from any make-up, making him look so ethereal and incredibly young, his eyes shining, his hair still a mess from the shower he just had, his teeth nibbling at his tempting lower lip...

«Which one of the things he said do you think he was right about ? » he asked in a whisper, lowering his gaze to look at his hands.

Reita forced himself out of the contemplation he was in, blushing a bit and smiling softly.

« Hopefully both ? »

Uruha let out a weird sound, half chuckle-half sob, and finally found the courage in him to face his friend.

« Really ? »

Reita's heart couldn't handle how sweet, hopefull, and beautiful the guitarist looked like at the moment. He caught his chin gently and leaned, closing the gap between them and whispering against Kouyou's lips.

« I'm sorry I ran away from you like a moron, I was just worried you would be mad at me, I was worried I ruined our friendship. I've never been sorry I kissed you... Actually I'd very much want to try it again, but without the freaking-out stuff... »

« Yeah... You should do that... » Uruha's breath on his lips and his words were enough to give him the final push. Their lips met again, softly, lovingly, and they made it last a long time, relishing in the way their breath were mingling, in the way their mouths felt so perfect against each other. But when Reita finally dared to bit softly Uruha's bottom lip, asking permission silently to deepen their kiss, Uruha whimpered and something began to burn in Reita's belly, his heart rate growing a bit erratic. He took total possession of his friend's mouth, and suddenly Uruha's hands were gripping his face, and entangling themselves in his hair, pulling it almost painfully. But Reita didn't care about anything else than Uruha's mouth, the sounds it produced, the perfect shape of his lips, the taste of his skin... It was Reita's turn to pull at Uruha's hair now, making him throw his head back, and allowing him to devour his jaw, neck, shoulder blade... Until he reached the bathrobe. Reita could feel the goosebumps on Uruha's skin, he could also feel him shiver, and he knew he couldn't be cold, no, because the heater was doing his job allright, and it was almost too hot in the room now. He smilled to himself, delighted that he was the one giving these sensations to Uruha. He nuzzled the hem of the fluffy bathrobe, making it slide a bit on Uruha's shoulder, and he stopped to stare at him, drop dead gorgeous, looking both soft and incredibly tempting in such a pose. He nuzzled his naked shoulder again, leaving feather-like kisses on the skin, before looking at him agin shyly, blushing.

« I'd like to kiss you more, but _this_ \- » he nibbled the offending clothe- « is being annoying. Can I... ? »

Uruha looked at him with serious, deep eyes. He stroked through Reita's hair gently, brushing lighly his cheek with his thumb in the same move, lovestruck. Reita misunderstood his silence, though, and added hurriedly.

« That's okay if you don't want, though. We have... All the time in the world... I... I didn't want to push you... I- »

Uruha laughed softly, and caught the belt that was holding the bathrobe, freeing himself from the garment, letting it slide on the bed with a blush. Reita's eyes widened, his mouth watering at all the naked skin that was presented to him on a silver plate.

« I was just wondering how in the world I could get so lucky so suddenly ? » Uruha whispered. « Kiss me more ? »

They had all the time in the world, sure. But they'd been waiting for so long, already.

They were dying to belong to each other, and as Uruha could see that Reita wasn't still sure that he was indeed given the permission to kiss and touch and taste him this way, he made him fall in reverse on the bed, and straddled him until he was sitting on his lap, kissing him desperatly, moaning his name endlessly, his hands roaming everywhere under the bassist's clothes. And Reita finally understood how okay Uruha was with the situation, how much he wanted this to happen too, and he took the lead back, making him roll in the bed and stripping of his shirt, Uruha not losing a single beat and stroking the toned chest and defined abs....

The rest of Reita's clothes followed shortly after, and the last thing he was able to think, before totally losing his mind in everything that was Uruha's, was that he'd been very wise to push the heater up so that Uruha could spend all night naked without ever being cold... But he would gladly warm him up if needed nonetheless.

And then Uruha caught his lips in a fiery kiss again, and Reita wasn't able to think coherently anymore. But it didn't matter, because they didn't have to think when their instincts were all they needed, when they already knew each other so well, when their alchemy was so strong as best friends, it made perfect sense that everything that would happen between them would be obvious and natural, as the logical consequence of the bond they already shared. After all, sex was the only thing they hadn't already shared together. There were no reason, now that they've confessed their mutual feelings, to wait anymore...

***

The sun was shining brightly through the window, as they'd forgot to close the curtains. Uruha lazily opened his eyes, earing a low voice ordering what sounded like... Food ?

«...plate of fresh fruits, too. Some pastries, and also the strongest coffee you have. Thank you very much. »

« Did you just ordered breakfast at room-service ? »

Reita turned to look at him. He was sitting at the edge of the bed, with only his boxers on, grinning from ears to ears, and Uruha just felt like he was falling in love all over again.

« Well, yeah. I figured we could spoil ourselves a bit before going back to work. And as I know it's always hard for you to get out of bed, I wanted to pamper you a bit... ». He crawled on the bed, a childish look on his face, and came to steal a kiss. Uruha beamed at the gesture, his heart melting at how happy he was now.

« I can't wait to be pampered everyday... »

« Oi ! Everyday ? Aren't you demanding, Kou-chan ?! » Reita's offended answer made Uruha giggle, and he nuzzled in Reita's hair fondly, then caught his lips for another sweet kiss, when a knock at the door interrupted them.

« Probably room-service. Man, they're fast ! I'll go... » Uruha said, catching the sheet to cover himself up.

But then it wasn't.

***

Ruki and Kai, after they'd had their own breakfast, just the two of them, at the hotel's canteen, had come to check on Reita. The bassist was rarely sick, and they'd been concerned when he'd gone to bed before them all last night, seemingly suffering from his headache. After they'd found his room empty that morning, they'd figured that at some point he'd joined Uruha, as they were used to, for maybe playing some games or simply not be alone. They'd gone straight to Uruha's door, and knocked.

«It's kind of a relief, honesty. If Reita came here, he was probably feeling better. » Ruki sighed.

« Well, you're right. But I hope they did rest because he didn't looked okay yesterday night. »

« These nerds probably fell asleep playing some game, as always. That wouldn't be new- »

They were cut by the opening of the door, and their eyes widened when Uruha appeared, with messy hair and flushed cheeks, badly wrapped in only a bed sheet. If the sight wasn't enough of a hint already, the dark hickeys that bloomed all over his torso couldn't exactly be ignored. His own eyes widened when he saw that the room-service he was expecting wasn't exactly there.

« Well, _that's_ new... » muttered Ruki.

« Hey, babe, is there a problem with the room-service or- » Reita appeared behind Uruha, still only clad in only his boxers, falling silent when he saw who was there. « Oh... Hi guys ! » He blushed furiously, but then seemed to decide that it wasn't worth trying to deny. « Hum... I won't say it's not what it looks like, because it's exactly what it looks like, so, well, yeah... » He shrugged with a big goofy grin, wrapping Uruha a bit more properly in the sheet and circling his waist tightly.

« Jesus Christ. » Kai let out, still looking dumbfounded. « I was beginning to think you two would never take the plunge. » Then he smiled his sunniest smile. «I'm happy for you, sincerely. That's the best news ever ! »

Ruki was smirking too now, recovering from his shock.

« Yeah, it was about time. I hope last night was worth the wait ! » He wriggled his eyebrows suggestively, making Kai and Reita laugh, and Uruha blush deeper, but with a smile.

« I surely misunderstood, though ? You two didn't order anything from the room-service, did you ? These things are awfully expensive, and management will have your head for this ! » Kai was back in leader mode, frowning a bit but with a mischievous smile.

«I did, yeah. » Reita answered with a new shrugg. « I figured we could indulge a bit, since it was Christmas and all. But if needed I'll pay myself, don't worry your pretty head over this, Kai-kun. »

« What the fuck, Rei ! Today's the 22nd, it's not Christmas yet ! » Ruki giggled.

« Oh, crap, it's not ? Well, my bad, I thought it was... And I unwrapped my present last night, ooopsie ! » Reita slapped his own forehead dramatically, making Ruki burst out in laughter when he understood what he was referring to, and Kai shake his head good-heartedly with a chuckle. Uruha turned to his boyfriend, blushing anew and pouting, but with a slight curve of his lips that showed he wasn't even mad.

« Aki, for god's sake! Can you stop making sexual innuendos? »

« Sorry, baby. » Reita didn't looked sorry one bit, if anyone could tell. « Now, guys, if you don't mind, I plan to unwrap my present again before having to go to the venue, and if I'm not wrong, this young lady with a tray is bringing us our breakfast, so... » Reita caught the tray from the girl's hands, making her blush when she'd realized that he wasn't exactly wearing proper clothes, and disappeared in the room, one hand holding their breakfast, the other gripping Uruha's wrist, and closing the door with his right foot. « ...see you later, okay ? »

Ruki turned to his boyfriend, admirative. « Didn't know Rei could multitask that well. »

Kai chuckled, sliding an arm around the vocalist's waist to bring him close, and then whispering in his ear.

« That's not fair that Rei is allowed to unwrap his present and not me. We should take advantage of the time we have before having to go for sound-check... »

Ruki decided to play innocent and asked with a surprised face.

« Oh, but I thought you really wanted to go to that little Christmas market downtown ? ... »

Kai smirked, grabbing Ruki's arm and pulling him along the hallway.

« What about having our own little Christmas market in our room where I can choose any Christmas favor you could offer me ? »

_(Epilogue)_

Aoi was surprised to find the hotel's canteen empty when he got up. It seemed that all the staff had already headed to the venue to prepare everything for the upcoming live, and it wasn't unusual. But what was more, though, was that his bandmates were nowhere to be found. He went to the reception desk where the girl who was there last night was seemingly preparing to leave, giving the woman who was going to replace her for the day her last recommendations.

When she saw Aoi appear, she bowed really low to him, much to his surprise, and began to talk to him in a weird english. Aoi had to really make extra efforts to understand what she was talking about. He could only understand that she was grateful for the Christmas tree (what the fuck was she talking about?) and that she took him for a friend of the Christmas elf who decorated it (damn the girl was really nuts. Or was she on drugs?) Then she handed him a huge tray with what looked like the best breakfast he'd ever seen.

« Gift. » She said, smiling broadly.

This, Aoi understood.

« Gift ? For me ? »

Well the girl was surely a bit deranged, but if she thought he was friends with a Christmas elf, then so be it. It didn't harm anyone, did it ? He took the huge tray full of pastries delightfully, bowed to her and thanked her in the best german he could, and went to sit at a table, catching his phone and dialing Kazuki's number.

« Hey babe ? Had a good night ? Yeah, me too... Youy were amazing last night. Hehe... Ah, you aren't going to believe what just happened to me... »

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first story I post here that actually has an end for now ;) Don't forget to drop comments if you feel like it, they're ALWAYS a great way to let us writers know how you feel about our work ;) Thank you for reading!!!

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are always the best kind of love a writer can receive, so please don' be shy ;)


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